Taking the camper off your rig is quick and easy

A jack system with extendable legs allows for easy mounting and dismounting. Drop your camper off and hit the knarly trails!

We made a video showing how one person can quickly and easily remove the camper from a Jeep Wrangler.

First, we removed the brackets that attach the camper to the roof rack. Then, we took off the turnbuckles that attach the camper to the receiver hitch rack.

Once the roof rack brackets and turnbuckles are removed, the camper jacks can be lowered. The camper jacks have legs that extend out. These legs extend out about 4′ and stabilize the camper.

Now that the camper is supported by the camper jacks, the Jeep can easily pull right out from underneath it.

The whole process took around 9 minutes.

Vehicle Requirements for Mounting A Backwoods Camper

The requirements for mounting a Backwoods Camper to your vehicle are minimal. Your vehicle simply needs a roof rack that can support 300lbs and a receiver hitch. The vehicle’s payload capacity should be taken into consideration when packing your camper and vehicle so the weight limit isn’t exceeded. Since the camper weighs only around 500lbs, it should work well with any SUV on the market.

Read about the modifications I made to my Jeep Wrangler in our blog.

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People ask me this question all the time while wrapping their heads around the camper sitting atop my 2-door 2013 Jeep Wrangler. It’s really not as extreme as it looks; the camper is only around 500 pounds after all. That being said, the first prototype we tried out on my Jeep was over 900 pounds. I’m confident we were closer to 1,500 pounds with a full water tank and all the camping gear, food and supplies we loaded.

300lb Rated Roof Rack Required

All Backwoods Camper units come with the receiver hitch rack included. The roof rack, however, is sold separately because it is vehicle-specific. Also, many Jeep and SUV owners already have a roof rack that is compatible with our mounting system and capable of holding 300 pounds.

Modification #1: Rugged Ridge Sherpa Roof Rack

This simple yet heavy-duty roof rack bolts right on to the Jeep. The bars run front to back and are perfectly positioned for the mounting system which secures the “cabover” portion of the camper to the top of the Jeep. Our camper mounting system is adjustable so it will work with different style racks. If you already have a roof rack that you’d like to use in combination with the Backwoods Camper, let us know and we’ll help you get it all worked out.

Stock Jeep Suspension is Squishy

There’s no denying it – stock Jeep suspension is just downright squishy. With that first prototype and the extra weight from all my gear – my Jeep was SQUATTED! We got soooo many comments about the Jeep doing wheelies or just straight flipping over. The solution was insanely easy and inexpensive.

Modification #2: Air Lift Air Suspension Kit

I ordered the Air Lift Air Suspension kit on Amazon and it showed up the next day. Installation was painless and with 60 pounds of air pressure, you can barely tell you’re hauling any extra weight. Especially now that the production model is closer to 500 pounds! I still am very conscious of what I pack. My Jeep’s payload capacity is only 1,000lbs so weight is always on my mind.

We’re Here to Help!

If you have any questions about which roof rack to choose or any other modifications you may need to optimize your Backwoods Camper experience, let us know! We’re happy to make recommendations and point you in the right direction. See you out in the Backwoods!

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We spent Friday night at Summit Lake and enjoyed a steak dinner while watching the sun set over the lake. The night sky was so dark and the stars were INCREDIBLE! It was the first night sleeping in the camper. Even though it was only around 30° outside and we didn’t have a heater, it was toasty!!

Saturday morning we headed towards Diamond Peak and saw the most incredible views! The roads were rough in some spots and the camper surpassed all our expectations going over the terrain. Sadly, just south of Oakridge, we ran into road closures due to an active wildfire.

After some creative re-routing, we realized we didn’t have nearly enough time to complete the journey. We had originally intended to make it to Sutherlin but decided to cut the trip short. It was disappointing to not complete the route. However, the roads that we did drive and the scenery we saw will stay with us for a long time.

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Kitchen

The camper kitchen includes three spacious cabinets, a mini fridge with freezer, a sink with running water and a propane stovetop. Everything you need to cook all your meals for the entire trip.

Bedroom

The entire space over the roof rack of the Jeep contains the bedroom. There is a bed and room for a closet. The bed is a California king size and more than enough room for 2-3 people. The foam insulation in the walls of the camper keep the inside quite warm, even without a heater.

Bathroom

The space on the opposite side of the kitchen can contain a wet bath or a dinette. For the prototype, we opted to build out a wet bath that includes an RV toilet and a shower.

Lessons Learned

2022 Update:
This first prototype was so fun to build and travel in. But, it was well over 900 pounds and my Jeep Wrangler payload capacity is only 1,000 pounds. We quickly realized we would have to massively reduce the weight to legally sell these campers.

To make the camper lighter, we changed the construction of the walls, roof and floor. We had used a lot of wood before and making the switch to fiberglass panels helped drastically. We also had to remove the wet bath. However, this seems to be a highly requested option so we may have to revisit this one.

We are happy to say, the production model is only around 500 pounds. You can find all the specs on our order page. We want to offer as many features as possible without compromising safety by going over the vehicle’s weight capacity.

Tell us in the comments what features are the most important to you. We’ll work on finding the lightest solutions!

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The high winds were hardly noticeable except for the strong head wind. The wind hit us during the last 60 miles or so and required frequent downshifting.

However the trip was not all rainbows and butterflies, one of the bolts on the roof rack lost it’s head. A quick roadside repair got us home.

329 miles and 8hrs of driving! From Eagle Creek, Oregon to Windy Ridge at the top of Mt. Saint Helens and back in one day.

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